Begin again
by Alone in the blight
Summary: Crippled, both physically and emotionally, Arcade Gannon wished only one more glimpse of the love of his life. Some wishes come true after all.


**A/N: F-I-N-A-L-L-Y! Every time I write something it turn out to be a pile of shite, I hope this one won't :3. **

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything but my highly intelligent courier Kate.**

** . . .**

Arcade gazed lazily at the dying crescent from the old fort, he reminisced the events of the hoover dam six months ago where he helped his companion to out throw those two-faced bastards who call themselves the NCR. He didn't walk out from the battle unscathed for he is now but a crippled scientist with a broken spine…. And heart.

When the dust settled, the mighty Caesar and the followers had an intellectual and political meeting at the old fort. They debated about the future of Vegas, the followers –with the help of the courier- convinced him to alter his perspective from a ruthless pillager and slaver to 'true' emperor. Very three months, a sum of taxes must be paid to avoid the wrath of the bull and at the same time for protection against any form of threat. If one failed to comply he would either join the legion in the quest of claiming the west or….everlasting slavery. Still, the pros outcome the cons; the trade routes hadn't been much safer, every basic need across the Mojave was fulfilled. This was indeed the nucleus of a prospecting empire.

Kate simply vanished in the following week, not leaving a note or what so ever. Why? The blonde followers kept asking himself this question for days and days to follow. This…. Spark is gone, Arcade sighed in despair and eventually he went to sleep; if liquors won't help him to forget… the dreams would help him to remember.

His dreams were mostly blank before meeting the courier, he could swear that he dreamt of love as matter of weigh and conscious but now his brain acts like a jukebox which kept replaying those same old memories, in this dream, he recalled the time when he laid unconscious for days when a deathclaw almost ripped his chest off in a cave of some sort, he could feel her tender finger smoothing his bleeding wounds. It wasn't the only time she yanked him from the grim reaper. Did she meet someone who met her expectation? Did she leave him so the assassins of the NCR won't hurt him? He may never know….

"_lo…? Ar…y.o aw..k?"_ these smooth whispers landed on his slumbering mind, it must be his hidden imagination or something. The familiar warmth he used to feel and longed for coated him slowly, he hesitated to open his eyes lest he would naught but he did anyways…

And so his guardian angel was in front of him, her eyes brimmed with unspoken feelings and emotions. Silence settled between the duo for a couple of moments before Arcade's burst of tears "Why….why would leave my like that?! We had-"a sweet kiss hushed him right away "I don't have time to explain, please just please trust me on this…just hold me and close your eyes"

Arcade's unexplained anger faded away when he clutched to his dearest. From this moment, his life changed in so many ways he couldn't imagine…

. . .

_Every story has its end…_

_The courier thoroughly explained why she vanished out of the Mojave without a trace; she simply arrived to another world of fascination and science called 'the big mountain' where brilliant minds surrounded themselves with mind-blowing inventions and discoveries capable of pretty much everything. In those six dreaded months, the courier did her best to make this place like before not just for the inhabitants and other personalities but for her love… she wanted him to finally fulfill his dream of perfect researching with her. Ironically thought, arcade himself had a surprise for her …. A wedding ring._

_Kate simply said yes with an overwhelming joy and happiness, soon after, a pre-war wedding was held in the higgs village (which is unnaturally clean and…. Natural by muggy)._

_Although arcade wasn't that comfortable with these floating brain vessels (especially the one with the pink bowl... gives him some creepy looks) but eventually he fully adapted with his 'colleagues'. He restrained himself for asking more followers to come in this untouched paradise for he knew the outcome of human nature….god forbid if NCR or the legion laid their hands on the big mountain. They didn't forget the wasteland or its people who held them for better or worse so they sent supplies and notes to the followers by the courier mysterious teleporting gun._

_Dr. Klein and had forgotten their hatred by time, they both repeated their apologies to the courier for misdirection and using her a tool. Occasionally, the might have an argue or two about Mentants and 'raisins'._

_Dr. Borous literally cried when he saw Rex and Roxie together ( the courier could just leave Rex alone the wasteland) he remembered his best friend and victim Gabe with unrelenting regrets and sorrows. _

_Dr. Dala spent months and months in an attempt to recreate her organic body once more, the courier did her best to aid until she partially succeeded, it wasn't a one hundred percent match but it sure made her 'alive' again. Her obsession with teddy bears still exists though. _

_Dr.8 had finally repaired his voice module, he was quite annoying for some time, while Dr.'s hatred towards RoboCo remains unchanged, the courier force him to confort with his tormented creation, muggy, alone. None truly knew what happened back there._

_The stealth suit Mk II underwent an upgrade by the courier and other scientist to make her a self- aware, conscious android with a body of her own when the courier asked her what name she would pick for herself, she simply answered "Glados" _

_The newly couple lived for many years, together they lived and together they died… their supplies and inventions changed the new Vegas to a matching pre-war city which in next decades reclaimed independence from the legion without a drop of blood, both the legion and the NCR respected this new power in the region for many years to come. The fight for the land or resources became a tainted history in the past. War…. War never changes but with great mind and determined will, anything is possible. _


End file.
